Less than a year after releasing its first pair of tablets, Microsoft has unveiled the next generation Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 with features it hopes will appeal to the increasingly on-the-go consumer.

While the improvements Microsoft has made to its latest tablets aren't revolutionary, they are substantial. To start, the tablets are faster and they boast better battery life. (The Surface 2 Pro has 75 percent more battery life than its original equivalent, while the Surface 2 has 25 percent battery life). And both devices can now comfortably rest on your lap thanks to a redesigned kickstand, giving them a competitive advantage when compared to the iPad, at least in terms of work-on-the-go efficiency.